This invention relates generally to splices in electrical cable and more particularly to a system and method for making splices for buried electric cable such as telephone cable and the like.
In the past telephones were connected to the local exchange by overhead wires. However, such a system had several disadvantages. Exposure to weather necessitated using strong wires many times larger than was needed just to carry the current. Such exposed wires were also subject to inductive effects from high voltage equipment and from atmospheric electricity. As a result, present practice is to use large, multi-pair cables running underground from the exchange. By way of example, two and five pair cables are generally used for residential use and will be used for illustrative purposes herein, although the present invention is certainly not limited to cables of those particular sizes.
Buried cable generally includes a moisture-proof sheath since the presence of moisture in the cable can severely affect the operation of the cable. In addition, once moisture enters the cable it is able to migrate long distances along the cable. When it is necessary to form a splice on buried cable, therefore, it is quite important to insure that the splice is as moisture-proof as possible in order to prevent the problems which arise from moisture from entering the cable.